Liqueur wines must comply with the following requirements:
- They must be exclusively produced with varieties such as Moscatel de Alejandría, Macabeo and Garnacha Tinta whose grapes, during the harvesting process, have a natural alcoholic strength not less than 12%.
- The actual alcoholic strength by volume may not be lower than 15% or greater than 22%.
- EThis chart below shows the maximums and minimums of total sulphur dioxide content in liqueur wines which must not be exceeded:
Maximum Total Sulphur Dioxide ( gr./l.) <5gr./l. sugar content >=5gr./l. sugar content 150 200
- The terms “sweet wines” or “mistela” can be mentioned in liqueur wines made from grape must or from a mix of grape must with wine.
“Naturally sweet wines” must be prepared using overripe grapes with alcohol obtained exclusively from fermentation without the addition of any artificial alcohol. The natural alcoholic strength must not be higher than 15% or lower than 13% vol.
Sparkling wines must have their own winemaking and ageing process, from the second fermentation until a progressive elimination of dregs, in the same bottle in which the tirage took place, and must comply with the following requirements:
- The tirage will be made between January 1 and April 30 of the year after the harvest and must comply with everything stated in Annex VI, letter K, point 5 of Regulations (CE) no. 1493/1999 of the Council, May 7, 1999, establishing the common market organization in wine or standard which can replace it.
- The cuvée used has to be an endorsed wine, with a maximum total sulphur dioxide concentration of 140 ml.
- The time period from tirage until disgorging will be at least 9 months.
- Only this wine can be used for the purpose of filling the bottle during the disgorging period.
- Its classification will be done no later than 3 months after the disgorging process.
- Sparkling wines shall have the following physical-chemical parameters:
- Minimum alcohol content acquired: 10% Vol.
- Maximum total sulphur dioxide: 160 mg/l.
- Real acid-volatile acidity expressed as acetic acid (maximum): 0,65 gr/l.
In order to describe wines mentioned in this standard and which contain a natural alcohol content higher than 15% vol. the term “late harvesting” can be used for this purpose. In addition to complying with Community legislation, it must comply with the following physical-chemical features:
- The minimum alcohol content: 13 %Vol.
- Real acid-volatile acidity expressed as acetic acid (maximum): 0,9 g/l.